GB893081A - Improvements in or relating to grenades - Google Patents

Abstract

893,081. Ammunition fuzes. LOSFELD, A., and ROUSTANT, M. April 29, 1960 [Nov. 25, 1959; March 25, 1960], No. 15174/60. Class 9(1). A fuze for a grenade, which may operate on impact or after a given relay and provided with self-destruction means, comprises a housing 1 containing an "all-ways" percussion system of which the striker piston 28 is secured by a safety pin 2a extending through a spring- stressed cap 3a, the pin also being used to block the flash passage of the delay means. The cap 3a supports balls 5 which prevent movement of a transverse firing pin 6a by its spring 7. A further ball 8 bearing on the pin 6a is retained by a cap 9, which can be rotated clockwise and anti-clockwise towards a stop 11, to set the fuze for instantaneous or delayed action. Aligned with the pin 6a is a percussion cap 17 adjacent a delay train 18a leading to a primer 19a. A ribbon 22 having at its free end a weight 23 and wound round the housing 1 holds the pin 2a in position, and the striker 28, which has an air passage 29, is further secured by a ball 13 locked by a pin 12a, which is held by. the cap 9. A milled cover 24 secured by a bayonet joint is rendered watertight by a ring 27. Piston 28 contacts a ball 30 seated on a cup 31, supported by a spring 35 and provided with a firing pin 32. Within the cup is a relay 33 and the pin 32 holds a primer 38 out of alignment with the relay. A capsule containing compressed powder may be attached to the underside of the cap 9, to boost the flame from the cap 17. When the cap 9 is rotated to the delay position, the ball 8 can move upwardly and free the pin 6a, so that when the tape 22 has unwound and the pin 2a been ejected by its spring 4, the balls 5 move away from the pin 6a, which is then driven against the primer cap 17. Cap 17 then fires the delay train 18a and the flash passes to the relay 33. The piston 28 being freed by the ejection of safety pin 2a allows the ball 30 and its seating to be moved forwardly by spring 35 and hence frees the primer 38, which is moved by its spring 40 into alignment with the pin 32. Firing of the relay 33 thrusts the pin 32 against the primer 40, to initiate a detonator (not shown) fitted into the base closure plug 44. When the fuze is set for action on impact, the bolt 12a, Fig. 2, is free to move and hence release the ball 13 holding the piston 28, which is then free when the pin 2a has been ejected. The ball 30 is then pushed upwards by its seating and the primer 38 moves as before, so that upon impact the pin 32 is driven into the primer by the piston 28 and ball 30.